The present invention relates to a method and program which display a barcode on a portable terminal unit, e.g., a portable information terminal or cellular phone, having a memory and display unit.
Japan Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2002-32723 describes a portable terminal unit having a barcode display means and a communication means. In the portable terminal unit, barcode data containing the ID number and service information of a customer, which is received through the communication means, is converted into barcode display data and displayed on the barcode display means. When the displayed barcode is read by a barcode scanner of a POS (Point-Of-Sales) terminal, a member card service or coupon ticket service is provided to the user.
However, the terminal unit described in the publication stationarily displays a barcode on the barcode display means and cannot receive and transfer a number of pieces of information. In addition, since the display means of the portable terminal unit is small, it is impossible to display a plurality of barcodes on the display means and sequentially read them by a barcode scanner to provide various kinds of coupon ticket services to a user.
Hence, there is a need for a barcode displaying method and barcode displaying program, which can receive and transfer a number of pieces of information in a terminal unit having a memory and display unit.